Our Bios

Emerson "ESOX" Sox

SOPRANO & ALTO SAXOPHONE

Sometimes you just gotta play! After taking a 15+ year hiatus off from playing sax in various high school and college bands to launch an engineering career and raise a family.......the Sax continued to call!  

Emerson resides in the Town of Apex (The Peak of Good Living) and has been a member of the the Route 55 Jazz Orchestra for over 10 years, subs for other big bands and did some work with a local Sax quartet for 3 years. 

He enjoys home improvement projects and regularly volunteers with Habitat for Humanity. He loves repairing and restoring cars as well as outdoor activities such as recreational hiking and biking. And let's not forget about micro breweries, he loves to travel the state and indulge in the craft brew culture!

During the pandemic in 2020, the Overtones were formed to provide a source of entertainment for some streaming concerts for the Holly Springs Cultural Center.  And the rest is history.  


Evan Blount

BARITONE SAXOPHONE

Bio on it's way!


Tracie "T-Squared" Thomas

TENOR SAXOPHONE

Tracie Thomas, "T-Squared", (tenor sax), has just completed a mid-life crisis. After 28 years away from music, doing all kinds of corporate stuff, she is back and playing both alto and tenor saxophone with the Overtones, the Neuse River Big Band and the Meredith University Orchestra.

A long time ago, she played in high school marching, jazz and symphonic bands and studied music at James Madison University. Today, aside from music, you'll find Tracie canning and freezing veggies from her garden, or traveling, camping and hiking! 


Carl Suffredini, aka "The Great Suffredini" 

ALTO SAXOPHONE

Carl is retired after an unremarkable 36-year career in IT. His musical journey began in preschool, singing in the school chorus and learning that Every Good Boy Does Fine. He was always in treble. Carl would occasionally plink on Mom's piano, but didn't take to music until 4th grade, playing tenor sax, though he could barely get his hands around the thing, and strapping it to his bike made him do wheelies!

He played in marching and jazz bands through high school and college. Then, the 'real world' slapped him in the face and Carl put his horn down for 25 years before joining Holly Springs Community Band, Peak City Sound, Route 55 Jazz Orchestra and his musical friends, jamming in garages and open mics.

When not playing, Carl likes to build things, camp, hike and garden.